She Knocked Three Times
by TheRealMockingbird
Summary: 'You lost, Princess' He asks, repeating what he had said the last time, but this time his tone was bemused, not cold and angry.' Clarke finds herself outside Bellamy's quarters three times on the Ark. Set before the 100 were sent to earth. Bellarke short story. Rated T. Disclaimer - not my characters.


The council decided that only Aurora Blake, Bellamy's mother needed to float for breaking the law, and that since Octavia was in lock up and Bellamy had proved himself to be a model citizen by training for the guard, he could be released without punishment. (I know it's hardly the Ark's way of doing things but I need it for my story – sorry)

Bellamy opened the door to the room that used to hold his family of three and let the door shut behind him with a sigh. He stood for a moment and took in the empty room, eyeing the board in the floor that Octavia used to have to hide underneath, and the table that his mother, and later O, would work all day at.

He lost himself in the onslaught of memories that assaulted him every day he had to return to the room alone - memories of Octavia and him growing up, playing together, and reading stories of Ancient Rome.

And then came the memories of Octavia being caught and sent to the sky box. Bellamy remembered the fear in her eyes as she looked to him for help, he remembered feeling the cold shock run over him when he realised there was nothing he could do. He had failed her, and now his sister was in lock up and his mother had been floated. Because of him. He had only wanted to make O happy.

A knock at the door echoes in the room and Bellamy starts, blinking back the tears that had started to fill his eyes, he turned and placed a hand on the door handle, pulling it opening a crack.

Just outside the door stood Clarke, one of the last people he would have expected to see in section 17. She's a year older than Octavia, and is training under her mother, the councillor, to become a medic. Her family were one of the privileged, everyone suspected Clarke would marry Wells Jaha at the soonest available moment and strengthen the two family's ties even further. She would become the daughter in law of the man who imprisoned his sister and floated his mother. The man who took everything Bellamy had away from him.

'You lost?' He asks lowly.

She raises an eyebrow in response and waits impatiently.

'What do you want, Princess?' He sees a muscle in her jaw jump and enjoying the fact that the nickname irritates her.

'I don't know what I did to offend you but I'm here to complete your annual medical checks before you can be declared fit to work.' she said, reaching into the small bag she carried and pulling out a medical kit.

He doesn't say anything, just stands in the doorway with his arms crossed, staring down at Clarke, expression closed. She doesn't back away though, in fact she barely even blinks, instead she squares up to him, surprising him again. 

'What's your problem?' She asked harshly and he was surprised by the intensity in her voice.

With an irritated sigh Bellamy stepped back, opening the door wider and allowing Clarke to enter the room.

The first she noticed was that there actually was nothing to notice. The room was completely empty apart from the standard furniture and Bellamy's guard uniform hanging on one wall. Clarke assumed the rest of his belongings were in the drawers on one side of the room but there were no photographs on the surfaces, no books or knickknacks. It made the space seem cold and empty, with nothing to soften the effect of all the metal, it was as though it wasn't somebody's home, although Clarke knew that the room once used to be home to a family of three.

Being so close to the chancellor meant Clarke's parents, and therefore Clarke, knew all of the goings on in the Ark, and Clarke remembered the shock at finding out that not only had Aurora Blake broken the one child law, she had successfully hidden it for 16 years.

Bellamy cleared his throat and Clarke turned to see him standing in front of the door, now closed, with his arms still crossed, tension radiating from his body. He hated the idea of people being in here and she knew it.

'Have a seat.' Clarke said, indicating one of the metal chairs tucked under the table. A muscle in Bellamy's jaw jumped at the instruction but after a pause he complied, the harsh sound of the chair scraping across the floor echoing around the room.

Clarke busied herself setting out the equipment she needed on the table and all the while Bellamy watched her with enough hostility to lower the temperature.

After checking his weight and height, Clarke picked up her stethoscope and checked his heart and lungs, making sure his breathing was fine, before moving to check his hearing and vision. Neither spoke as the minutes ticked by, until Clarke began taking Bellamy's blood pressure.

'Why didn't you ask to be reassigned to different quarters?' Clarke asked quietly, shattering the uncomfortable silence.

Bellamy didn't need to look at the expression on Clarke's face to know his blood pressure spiked at the question. He wasn't surprised she knew what had happened, half of the Ark knew, he didn't snap at the question though. Why didn't he move? He knew it was an option.

Just as Clarke didn't think he was going to answer he said quietly 'it's all I have left.'

The answer sent a jolt of pain to Clarke's heart, but she avoided his eyes, knowing the stubborn guard would hate to see the pity there. 'Why is it so empty?'

'Why are you so nosy?' He asked, irritated, before he could stop himself.

'Sorry,' mumbled Clarke, 'I overstepped.'

Bellamy ran his free hand over his face with a sigh. 'No I'm sorry, I shouldn't have been so rude.' His mother had taught him better, but he hadn't spoken to anyone since it happened, and remembering it just brought him pain all over again. Bellamy closed his eyes as the silence dragged on.

'My father was floated.' Clarke said quietly, taking Bellamy by surprise. He knew, of course. He was working on the day that her father was executed, saw him being led from the sky box where he was held after his trial, but he let her continue uninterrupted. 'He found out something he shouldn't, and he thought the people had the right to know. The council disagreed.' She finished sadly. 'I'm not saying I had it worse than you, I didn't. But I understand what it feels like to lose someone. I'm sorry you had to go through it alone.' Without another word she removes the wrap around his bicep and packs up the machine used to take his blood pressure.

'I'm sorry,' says Bellamy, his voice gravelly, 'about your father.'

'So am I' whispered Clarke sadly.

Bellamy doesn't know why he does it, but he starts to tell her about what happened, haltingly, and in his own words. Starting with growing up together, teaching her everything he learnt in school, sharing his interest in history with her. He tells her about visiting O in lock up, about having to tell her what had happened to their mother. He tells her about the moment his mother was floated, his mother whose only crime was having another child, and spending every day of the next 16 years trying to provide for both her children, doing whatever it took. Clarke tensed at the mention of the commander of the guards and the liabilities he took, struggling to imagine how Bellamy, so protective of his family, must have felt. Before either of them realise, over an hour has passed and they know more about each other than they ever thought possible. Clarke, the Princess of the Ark, becomes the first person Bellamy told about what happened. And Bellamy becomes the first person to know that Clarke and Wells haven't spoken since her father was sentenced.

Realising she still had to take Bellamy's blood, Clarke started to reach inside her bag, but stilled when she heard Bellamy rise from the table and walk over to one of the drawers in the room before pulling out a thin rectangular object and returning to the table, holding it out to Clarke.

It was a photograph. Aurora Blake stood in the middle, an arm around a younger Bellamy on her right and on her left was a beautiful young girl with the same dark hair and high cheekbones as Bellamy - Octavia Blake.

Clarke couldn't even comprehend how hard it must have been, not only to take this photo, but to get a copy of it too. She wondered how much Bellamy must have risked every day, and she was hit once again with the realisation that Bellamy spent 16 years sharing his rations with his sister, protecting her from discovery. Her eyes slid to the floor, trying to guess which floorboard was the one that held Octavia for so long.

Before she knew what she was doing, Clarke reached across the table and placed her hand over Bellamy's clenched fist, brushing her thumb across the back of his hand and feeling his hand relax. Bellamy flexed his hand out slowly before turning it and threading his fingers with Clarkes.

They sat for a while before Clarke pulled her hand back and returned the photograph to him. 'Thank you.' She said softly, understanding what it meant to the troubled man in front of her.

Instead of returning it to the drawer, Bellamy placed in on the shelf above and returned to his seat, holding his arm out for the needle. In the silence he watched Clarke again, this time without hostility, and he took in her fair skin, dotted with beauty marks but otherwise unblemished. Her eyes were a light blue he had never seen before and were framed with long lashes. Beneath her delicate nose, her teeth worried her lip in concentration and Bellamy felt a small smile curve his mouth. As he studied the girl he realised he had missed this, the companionship. His quarters had been empty for long enough.

Too soon Clarke had finished and looked up, catching his eye and snapping Bellamy out of his daze.

'I'm all finished,' said Clarke with a tinge of disappointment in her voice, 'you're fit and healthy and perfectly fine to continue your work.' She continued professionally, packing up her stuff and standing. Bellamy stood as well and they paused, looking at each other, waiting for one to do what the other was too scared to. But the moment passed, Clarke cleared her throat and they moved towards to door, Clarke turning the handle before she felt Bellamy's warm, slightly rough hand covering her own on the handle. She stilled.

'Thank you.' Bellamy said softly, standing behind her. And she knew he meant for more than the check-up.

Instead of replying Clarke turned, the movement causing their hands to fall from the handle. Bellamy caught her fingers before she could move and Clarke realised how close they were standing. Looking up she saw the conflict in Bellamy's eyes, and before she could change her mind she lifted herself on her tiptoes and pressed a kiss to his cheek. Stepping back she saw the surprise cross Bellamy's face before she squeezed his hand, still entwined with hers, turned and slipped from the room.

Bellamy stood for a while, processing what had happened before lifting the hand that just held Clarke's and pressing it to the spot on his cheek she had pressed her lips against.

For the first time in what felt like an age, Bellamy felt his heart stir.

A few days later Bellamy was sat on his bed, deep in thought when he heard a knock on his door. He had just finished his duty for the day and had been looking forward to resting. With a sigh he lifted himself from the bed and padded over the door, wearing socks, his guards trousers and a tight black t-shirt. He opened the door and was even more surprised than last time to see Clarke outside his door again. He widened the gap and leant against his doorframe, crossing his arms.

'You lost Princess?' He asks, repeating what he had said the last time, but this time his tone was bemused, not cold and angry.

Feeling a slight blush tint her cheeks Clarke willed away the fluttering sensation in her stomach and held out a thick book.

Lifting his eyebrows in surprise Bellamy took the book gently and turned it over in his hands. 'A Detailed History of the Rise and Fall of the Roman Empire' he read. It was a book from earth, from before the war. Bellamy only had a handful of books in his quarters and he had hidden them away because they only reminded him of reading to Octavia as she fell asleep.

'I thought you might get bored…and you mentioned you liked Ancient History' Clarke said uncertainly.

Bellamy lifted his head, unable to disguise the shock he felt at the thoughtful gift. 'Thank you. You didn't have to…'

Clarke couldn't hide her smile, she didn't fully know why yet but she wanted Bellamy to be the one being cared for, he spent almost his whole life making sacrifices for others, now Clarke wanted to let him know that he can be happy sometimes.

'It was my pleasure,' she smiled widely, 'we have too many in our quarters and I've read them all before, they deserve to live with someone who'll appreciate them.'

Bellamy looked down at Clarke and felt a rush of affection. Nobody had done something like this for him. Of course O and his mother would have done if they could, but he was the one who had to look after them.

'Well I won't keep you.' Said Clarke softly, stirring him from his thoughts, and she was gone before he could decide if he wanted to invite her in.

Bellamy threw the door open and stormed inside his quarters, leaving the door ajar behind him. Bending down he wrenched his shoes from his feet and hurled them into a corner, next came his jacket which he flung on top of the shoes. He was so angry he was shaking and his only thought was what else he could throw to stop him from storming back to Alpha Station and sinking his fist into Inspector Grus' face. It was bad enough what that man did to his mother, how he took advantage of her, but to use it to goad Bellamy, to put him in his place… He balled his fists tightly and landed a harsh punch to the wall, picturing Grus' smirk as he did. The punch split his knuckles, sending shooting pain through his hand and down his arm, that was better than the alternative, at least this way he kept his job, and that meant he was allowed to visit O.

Bellamy realised he wasn't alone when he heard soft footsteps cross his floor towards where he was now stood, palms against the wall, head dipped towards his chest, eyes clenched.

Clarke ran towards Bellamy's quarters. She had been leaving the medical station when she saw Bellamy storming past with such rage in his expression that she felt a shock of fear pin her to the spot, and apparently she wasn't the only one to experience it, people ducked out of the guards way as he marched away. She heard another guard jog from the alpha station and call after him but Bellamy didn't even seem to register. Waiting for the other guards to return to their post seemed to take forever but Clarke had to wait until the coast was clear before quickly making her way after Bellamy, running as soon as she rounded the corner. As she reached his corridor she heard the sound of two heavy objects hitting the wall. His door was ajar and she arrived outside it just in time to see Bellamy rear back, muscles tensed, and punch the wall with enough force to cause blood to spurt from his knuckles. She held back a gasp at the sight, hearing Bellamy panting, and knocked once before she entered the room. He stiffened and placed his hands against the wall, dropping his head, whether in defeat or in shame she didn't know.

When she reached his side Clarke placed a hand between his shoulder blades and reached with her other hand for his fist, which was now dripping blood. 'Bellamy' she whispered and he lifted his head but didn't move. She gripped his forearm to try and pull him from the wall but it was pointless, she would never be able to move him. Instead she slipped under his arm, effectively pinning herself between him and the wall, but she wasn't afraid any more. She wound her arms tightly around his middle and rested her head on his chest. She could hear his racing heartbeat and feel his body shaking with rage, but she didn't move, and slowly his breathing calmed and two strong arms reached down to engulf her, one wrapping around her waist, the other around her shoulders. Bellamy let his head rest on top of Clarkes and slowly, he felt himself relax. They stood together for a few minutes until Bellamy lifted his head. Clarke shifted back a little and when Bellamy loosened his grip Clarke took his right forearm again and pulled him gently to the table, sitting him in the same chair he was in when she came to do his check-up those months ago, and kneeling in front of him.

Fortunately all living quarters were equipped with a simple medical kit, to avoid unnecessary work for the medical station. Squeezing Bellamy's uninjured hand lightly Clarke rose to fetch the kit from the wall and was back in seconds. She carefully cleaned and bandaged his knuckles in minutes, and again, Bellamy studied her. The girl who he had hated without real reason, and then told everything to. The girl who kept giving him books and drawings for his quarters, determined to give him back a home. The girl who came running when she saw him in pain.

Her eyes flickered up and he saw her pupils dilate when their eyes met. She stood and returned the medical kit to the wall and when she turned back to the table she found Bellamy had followed her and was staring down at her, moving closer and closer.

He lifted his left hand and threaded it into her soft, golden hair, tilting her head backwards as he leant forwards and pressed his lips to hers. Her hands came up, one gripped his arm and the other wound around the back of his neck, pulling them closer together as she stood on tiptoes, pressing herself into him. Bellamy pulled back, checking that it was ok before capturing her mouth again. She nipped at his lower lip and he groaned, the sound vibrating through the two of them and making Clarke shiver.

She ran her hands down Bellamy's chest and felt the muscle under his shirt, she ran them back up and gripped his face as Bellamy wrapped his right arm around her waist tightly and lifted her off the ground. Clarke wrapped her legs around his waist and buried her hands in his hair, sliding her tongue into his mouth.

Bellamy stepped forward carefully and Clarke felt the wall against her back. They pulled apart breathing heavily and Bellamy opened his mouth 'I'm-' he began to apologise but Clarke closed the distance between them again and pressed her lips to his gently.

'I'm not.'


End file.
